Alaska Extended Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service College Park MD
759 PM EDT Tue Oct 28 2025
Valid 12Z Sat 01 Nov 2025 - 12Z Wed 05 Nov 2025
...Synoptic Overview...
The synoptic pattern across the Alaskan domain continues to favor
fast-moving cyclones to track west to east through the Aleutians
then gradually dissipate over the Gulf of Alaska as a negatively-
tilted upper ridge remains stationary across eastern mainland
Alaska and further up into the Arctic Ocean in the form of an
omega block.
...Guidance Evaluation and Preferences...
The ensemble means from the ECMWF, GEFS, and CMC show decent
agreement on the above-mentioned synoptic pattern evolution
through the medium-range period. Much of the uncertainty is
in regard to the timing of the next cyclone potentially entering
the western Aleutians early next week. The GFS is near the slow
end of the spectrum followed by the UKmet, while the ECMWF and CMC
are near the fast end of the spectrum by a few hundred miles to
the east on Day 6 Monday. The ensemble means favor toward the
faster solution. Toward the end of the medium-range period, both
the deterministic and ensemble means show decent agreement on the
next significant cyclone to track along the Aleutians with the
GFS/GEFS cluster placing the cyclone center very near the island
chain while the EC cluster is farther south.
The Alaska forecast package was based on a general model consensus
of 40% from the 12Z ECMWF/00Z EC mean, 40% from the 12Z GFS/GEFS,
and 20% from the 12Z CMC/CMC mean, with the majority of the blend
based on the consensus of the ensemble means for Days 7 & 8. This
blend yielded an isobaric pattern quite compatible with
yesterday's WPC forecasts.
...Weather/Hazards Highlights...
The medium-range period will likely begin with a deep cyclone
centered over the Gulf of Alaska with its strongest winds likely
remaining just off the southern shoreline of mainland Alaska into
the Panhandle. Moderate to locally heavy precipitation associated
with this cyclone will gradually taper off through the weekend as
the cyclone is forecast to steadily weaken. But light to locally
moderate precipitation is forecast to linger along the southern
shoreline to the Panhandle into midweek.
Thereafter, a couple of cyclones appear to track very quickly
near/along the Aleutians early to middle of next week, with the
subsequent cyclone being the stronger of the two. Unsettled
weather appears to be in store for the Aleutians by early next
week before reaching the Peninsula possibly by midweek. Pressure
pattern appears to favor high winds behind this system.
Temperatures will be mostly around average except for the central
Brooks Range, and along the eastern Aleutians this weekend when
below normal high temperatures are in the forecasts.
&&
Kong
Additional 3-7 Day Hazard Information can be found on the WPC
medium range hazards outlook chart at:
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/threats/threats.php
WPC medium range Alaskan products including 500mb, surface
fronts/pressures progs and sensible weather grids can also be
found at:
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/alaska/ak_5dayfcst500_wbg.gif
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/alaska/akmedr.shtml
https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/alaska/ak_5km_gridsbody.html